Central & Eastern Europe, Central Eurasia, and Turkey
Central & Eastern Europe, Central Eurasia, and Turkey|
East East: Partnership Beyond Borders Program Projects
2006 Displaced Cultural Assets: Property Rights and
Political Problems Summary: Exchanges to elaborate solutions to problems of displaced cultural assets, de-politicization and taking political advantage of these issues, to formulate a collaborative opinion based on diverse experiences in Central Europe and to analyze implications of cultural assets as a consequence of shifting borders, e.g., on Polish-Ukrainian relations. From Quantity to Quality: Experiences
in Educational Reform in Poland and Serbia and Montenegro Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators, local government authorities and NGOs in Poland and Serbia and Montenegro, specifically to analyze the processes, best practices and lessons learned in education reform in Poland and to support professional capacity of educators in Serbia and Montenegro through training of trainers methodologies successfully implemented in Poland. Sarajevo
Notebook: European Union Policies towards the Western Balkans Summary: Exchanges in Zagreb, Ljubljana, Skopje, Pristina, Belgrade, Podgorica and Sarajevo, to engage public participation in and attract public attention to perspectives of EU policies in the western Balkans and to offer a communication platform to promote civil society engagement in informing processes of European integration for the countries of former Yugoslavia. Save Public Assets:
Civil Society Monitoring of Structural Fund Allocations Summary: Exchanges to contribute to civil society’s ability to develop a sustainable and effective monitoring mechanism, to enhance the capacity of civil society in the ten new EU member states to influence policy developments on regional, national and community levels and to raise public awareness in the new member states on the important role of monitoring and information activities. Practical Management Skills for Self-Government
Civil Servants Summary: Exchanges to promote higher professional standards of local self-government civil servants in Ukraine by learning practical management skills and experiences of civil servants in Poland, specifically to transfer know-how and knowledge to the eastern regions of Ukraine an as attempt to encourage a more thoughtful approach to European norms of local self-government. Best Practices of NGOs Working with Refugees and Asylum Seekers Summary: Exchange of experiences among NGOs working with refugees and asylum seekers to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of this work, specifically to promote collaborative efforts among like-minded organizations to compose a policy paper and resource guide for refugee agencies working in the new EU member states and to develop innovative lobbying and awareness raising strategies and activities that will contribute to diversity sensitive legislation. Improvement of Municipal Services to Marginalized Groups
of Citizens in Georgia: Experiences in Poland Summary: Exchange of experiences designed to raise awareness of local officials in Georgia on the diversity of needs, expectations and possible solutions to serve better disabled citizens, senior citizens and refugees and immigrants, to provide an opportunity for skills and knowledge transfer of practical solutions implemented by local authorities in Poland to deliver better services to marginalized groups of society based on experiences in Poland. Alternatives Solutions to Conflict in Transnistria Summary: Exchanges for opinion-makers to develop a policy paper on the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, specifically to formulate alternative scenarios to engage civil society representatives in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, and to facilitate public presentations of the policy paper to bring this analysis, discussion and debate to the public. Improving Efficiency
of Non-Governmental Organizations in Belarus: Experiences in Lithuania Summary: Exchanges designed to promote the development of democracy and public spirit in Belarus by strengthening the efficiency of Belarusian non-governmental organizations activities, to consolidate the knowledge and capacities of the representatives of Belarusian NGOs, to prepare a draft methodology of efficient NGO management based on experiences in Lithuania and suggestions of Belarusian NGOs and to adapt the methodology of efficient NGO management to the needs of Belarusian NGOs. Building Confidence in Hungarian-Romanian
Relations through Multicultural Education Summary: Exchanges to promote cooperation among institutions and NGOs in Hungary and Romania, specifically to seek to transform irregular communication into an efficient network of exchange among scholars and civil society actors in the context of European integration. Supporting Transition and Communication in Moldova: Experiences
in the Czech Republic Summary: Exchanges designed to train and support a group of elected and future municipal officers who offer a democratic alternative to the current approaches in Moldova by using the Czech transition process as an example of transformation and to foster cross-border networks of communication among activists in Moldova and the Czech Republic. Social Problems of Economic
Dislocation: Experiences in Industrial Donbass and Silesia Summary: Exchanges among community leaders to share experiences in engaging non-governmental organizations in resolving problems in old industrial regions, to transfer know-how and skills to local communities in Ukraine and to empower local communities to engage local authorities in collaborative initiatives designed to overcome social dislocations in marginalized communities. Overcoming
Discrimination and Marginalization of Disabled Children and their Families Summary: Exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer, specifically to present modern systems of providing equal opportunities for disabled people in society, models of integrated education, rehabilitation and care for disabled children and their families as implemented in Poland as well as examples of the development of civil society using the activities of the Association of Help for Disabled Children and its partners in Poland for possible adaptation to conditions and implementation in Ukraine. Democratic Leadership:
Young Leaders in Southeast Europe and the Caucasus Summary: Exchanges among young leaders, specifically to promote dialogue among young people from different ethnic backgrounds and countries, to build capacity of young leaders in mediation and negotiation skills and to promote engagement and empowerment of young leaders in the implementation of national youth strategies and policies. Publishing Cultures and Markets in the Western Balkans: Copyright
Protection and Combating Piracy Summary: Exchanges to promote cooperation and information sharing to combat piracy and violation of copyright in the book market in the Western Balkans and to promote transparency in and harmonization of copyright protection in the Western Balkans. Experiences and Lessons Learned after One Year of EU Membership:
Poland and Romania Summary: Exchanges in Romania and Poland designed to aid the policy learning efforts of the West and North West Development Regions in Romania by analyzing experiences in countries which acceded to the EU in 2004, specifically to aid Romanian regional authorities to improve administrative and policy capacity to implement decentralized activities related to the adoption of the acquis; to contribute to the strengthening of Romanian regional public authorities policy capacity from the experience of different regional authorities from acceding countries faced with similar policy challenges; and, to provide experts and professionals an opportunity to work together to find solutions to challenges of implementing the acquis at the regional level. Fifteen
Years of Migration Patterns and Policy Formulation Summary: Exchanges to bring together experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations in Central and Eastern Europe to establish long-term cooperation and exchange and to support the role of civil society actors and activists in analyzing and reflecting on migration issues and new multicultural diversity in Central and Eastern Europe in particular in the context of an enlarged EU. Environmental Education Cooperation: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Summary: Exchange among stakeholders in environmental education, specifically to promote implementation of collaborative environmental education strategies, to elaborate best practices in environmental education and to formulate collaborate activities to engage the public in environmental protection and awareness. Building Open Local Government: From Principles to Practice of
Good Governance Summary: Exchanges and workshops designed to build a framework for access to information, consultation and public participation in policy-making which will contribute to strengthening local government/citizen relations and fighting corruption, to promote, develop, facilitate and support partnership for regional non-governmental organizations and institutions to build collaborative projects and strategies in the region, to encourage policy dialogue among local government and civil society representatives in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine and to support the development of cooperation between local governments and civil society organizations. Barrier Free Open Cities: Protection of the
Rights of People with Disability Summary: Exchanges of best practices and lessons learned in advocacy to protect the rights of disabled people, specifically to draw on experiences of NGOs in Poland to inform media and advocacy work in Kazakhstan, to promote social awareness and responsibility in respecting the rights of disabled people and in community engagement and to initiate broader public discussions about legislation required to fight against discrimination of disabled people in Kazakhstan. Promoting Women's Involvement in Social and Political Life Summary: Exchange of experiences in implementing information campaigns by NGO activists seeking to promote active participation of women in social and political life, including participation in elections, and to promote empowerment of women to have political influence in decision-making about socio-economic and political issues. International e-Learning with
One Computer per Classroom: Estonia and Georgia Summary: Exchange of experiences and expertise in introducing modern information and communication technology in educational systems, specifically to bring experiences in Estonia to Georgia to assist local governments in Georgia in developing IT infrastructure in schools, to provide Georgian teachers with elementary computer skills and guidance in using opportunities provided by modern information technologies in teaching methodologies and, to support curriculum development with the assistance of an interactive learning environment promoting learning skills. Empowering Internally Displaced People: Experiences in Ukraine
and Azerbaijan Summary: Exchange of knowledge and experiences in working with displaced people, specifically to draw on experiences of Crimean Tatars, to contribute to empowering displaced people to have a voice in resolving socio-economic problems and defense of their rights and to mobilize displaced people to strengthen their abilities for self-governance. Local Government
in Ukraine: Experiences in Estonia during Preparation for EU Membership Summary: Exchanges designed to increase the competency and capacity of regional and local government officials in Ukraine specifically concerning EU integration, through sharing knowledge, experiences and know-how accumulated in Estonia during preparations for EU membership and to promote public awareness in Ukraine about EU integration policies and regional development in the EU. Civic Education for Young People Summary: Exchanges to create a strong and active youth environment in the Zaporizhzhya Region of Ukraine by sharing experiences with youth activists in Poland, to formulate a methodology of citizen education for youth which will be realized in a special Citizen Educational Center program to promote engagement and responsibility of youth leaders and to propose create solutions to overcome unemployment among young people. Networking for Good
Urban Governance Summary: Exchanges for representatives of municipalities, specifically to promote best practices to engage constructively in the development, implementation and dissemination of good urban governance and to improve the human and organizational capacity of local governments in Albania in formulating and implementing strategic development planning, participatory management and planning practices, mobilizing resources for development and managing quality services. Improved Public Service: Human Resources for Public Administration Summary: Exchanges, knowledge networking and transfer of expertise among public administration professionals, NGOs and scholars on issues crucial to the debate about modern public finance and effective financial management and to promote modern governance standards in countries of the New EU Neighborhood. Multilingual
Models in Education Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators in Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan to promote partnership and professional dialogue on issues of intercultural and bilingual education based on lessons learned and best practices in Latvia and Central Asia, to analyze difficulties encountered in intercultural and bilingual education as experienced within institutional, local, national and regional contexts and to explore models of cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organizations in introducing reforms in education. Current and Future Challenges in Curriculum Development:
Case Studies and Networking for Change Summary: Exchange of practitioners, researchers and policy-makers to identify best practices and lessons learned in education policy reform, to identify existing policy-making initiatives, procedures and involved institutions and to understand policy-making initiatives in curriculum development, decentralization and educational management, teacher training, equity and quality areas as developed in the region over the last years. European Integration:
Perspectives in Estonia and Bulgaria Summary: Exchanges of journalists and opinion-makers in Estonia and Bulgaria, specifically to analyze the impact of EU membership on the Estonian economy, Estonia’s political goals as a member of EU and practical European cooperation as conducted by the Estonian administration and engagement of third sector in European integration processes in the context of Estonia’s EU membership. Applying Restorative Practices in Criminal Policy Summary: Exchange of experiences specifically to contribute to the improvement of the quality and practical application of mediation and probation processes in Moldova by gathering new knowledge and practices from colleagues in Poland. Teachers’ Performance Standards: Slovenia and
Albania Summary: Exchanges among teachers and education professionals in Slovenia and Albania, specifically to develop professional teaching standards in early childhood education, elementary and secondary education in Albania through mentoring exchanges with professionals in Slovenia and to promote adaptation of innovative teaching methodologies and European standards for education in Albania. Anti-Trafficking Information Exchange and Knowledge Networking Summary: Exchange of information between governmental bodies and NGOs working on the problems of trafficking, to coordinate work and techniques of information exchange for collaboration and to propose recommendations to governments to engage civil society actors in prevention initiatives. Empowering
Education: Innovative Methodologies in Educational Reforms Summary: Exchange of experiences among representatives of educational structures and NGOs, specifically to share best practices in interactive teaching methodologies piloted and implemented in the Czech Republic and Turkey and to formulate recommendations for educational reforms in Azerbaijan based on European standards and experiences. Engaging NGOs in Monitoring Budgetary Processes Summary: Exchanges to enable the civil society sector in Kazakhstan to promote transparency in public spending by engaging with decision-making responsible for state budget processes, specifically by leveraging experiences in Central and Eastern Europe to inform civil society in Kazakhstan. Friendly EU Borders: Relations with New Eastern Neighbors Summary: To support a long-term initiative aimed at monitoring EU member states’ visa policy to eastern neighbors, specifically to examine visa practices in old and new EU member states, to analyze existing legal regulations, to collect data on human rights abuses in consular and border guard practice and to promote public awareness of the advantages of friendly and smart borders. Professional Policing and Protection of Rights of Victims of Domestic
Violence Summary: Exchange of experiences in professional policing, specifically to provide an opportunity for trainers in Georgia to learn experiences, new methodologies and technologies of police training implemented in the Czech Republic and to contribute to improving professional interventions in cases of domestic violence, particularly in the protection of rights of victims of domestic violence in Georgia based on experiences in the Czech Republic. Development
of Restorative Justice and Mediation in Central and Eastern Europe Summary: Exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer concerning previous achievements in conducting mediation and promoting restorative justice in Central and Eastern Europe, to formulate recommendations for further development of restorative justice, to establish and accept methods and measures facilitating further cooperation of associations and institutions concerned with restorative justice and to create a strategic program of cooperation for the next five years. Good Practices in Transition Processes in Slovakia: Exchange with
NGOs in Western Balkans Summary: Exchanges to bring together civil society activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo with counterparts in Slovakia, specifically to promote good practices of transformation processes and building, strengthening and engaging all stakeholders in these processes, to analyze the roots of civic society and culture of citizens’ self-awareness in Slovakia and to promote professionalization and capacity building of local organizations in the western Balkans. Environmental Impact of the Oil
Industry Summary: Exchanges for NGOs of the Caspian and Black Sea regions to work together in proposing solutions to the environmental problems caused by the oil industry, specifically, to elaborate a methodology for an economic assessment of such environmental damage in the Caspian region, to assess the influence of environmental damage on revenues of the oil companies and in Azerbaijan and to promote transparency and public discussion of these issues. Mechanisms
for Implementing Migration Policy in Ukraine: EU Experience in Instituting
Readmission Agreements Summary: Exchange of experiences in working with illegal migrants in Poland and Ukraine within a long-term initiative to analyze international experiences in readmission agreements with the EU and the detention of illegal migrants in Ukraine and Poland, to provide an opportunity for comparative analysis and recommendations for improving conditions for detainees in Ukraine, to formulate recommendations for identifying individuals in detention centers and to promote public awareness of best practices in the readmission of illegal migrants. Challenges and Opportunities for Open Local Government: The Role
of Citizens Summary: Exchanges designed to build a framework for access to information, consultation and public participation in policy-making which will contribute to strengthening local government/citizen relations, to promote, develop, facilitate and support partnership for regional non-governmental organizations and institutions to work collaboratively in developing strategies to raise the accountability of public authorities and representatives of public institutions at local level and, to encourage NGO involvement in the decision-making processes at the level of local public administration. Albania’s Path to European Integration Summary: Exchanges to focus on various aspects of European integration processes in order to dispel the myths that currently surround these issues in Albania; to engage university students and opinion leaders in the media and think tanks to stimulate a national and public debate about advantages and disadvantages of European integration processes; and, to utilize the extensive experience and expertise of past and current candidate EU nations in informing this debate in Albania. Local Mass Media: Information or Propaganda? Summary: Exchanges among journalists and editors in Ukraine and the Czech Republic to offer an opportunity for journalists in Ukraine to learn experiences and best practices in the Czech Republic in relationships between authorities and mass media, of overcoming irregular access to information, management of mass media and European standards in mass media as implemented in the Czech Republic. Public Broadcasting in Regions: Experiences in Poland and Ukraine Summary: Exchange of experiences among media experts in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to analyze experiences in Poland of public television and public broadcasting by regional media and to promote the development in Ukraine of a statute on public broadcasting and public service through the media in the context of civil society development. Catching up with European Economies: Regional Development and
SMEs Summary: Exchanges to identify, analyze and share best practices in regional and SME development, to provide policy recommendations in the framework of challenges and opportunities of EU integration, to promote a public/private regional dialogue on capacity to comply with EU policies on regional development and employment and to strengthen public awareness of tangible benefits and concerns of job creation in a regional context. Building Capacities for Youth Advocacy in Southeast Europe Summary: Exchanges to empower young people to engage in society by offering exchanges of best practices in capacity building, networking, advocacy and lobbying; to promote the implementation of national youth strategies by the governments; to evaluate youth-related developments in southeast Europe in the framework of EU integration; and, to promote the sustainability of the Balkan Youth Initiative as a grassroots initiative of young leaders in southeast Europe. ROAD / Rural Opportunities and Approaches for Development Summary: Exchange among all stakeholders in rural development to promote cooperation among private and public sectors and advocacy for rural economic development, specifically to formulate a comprehensive approach to sustainable rural development regionally, including the establishment of a Rural Development Fund, to be presented to relevant EU bodies. Awareness and Action in Preventing and Treating Hepatitis C among
Vulnerable Sectors of Society Summary: Exchange of experiences among health care professionals and policy makers to compare best practices hepatitis C prevention, diagnostics and treatment for drug users, to formulate guidelines for raising awareness and comprehensive responses to hepatitis C among drug users, elaborate strategic recommendations to promote advocacy and policy work and to engage all relevant stakeholders in public debates and information exchange. Development of Philanthropy: Public Benefit Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative to promote the development of philanthropy in Slovakia, specifically to analyze experiences and expertise from countries which have approved an Act on Public Benefit, to exchange experiences directly connected with defining key terms used by the third sector and to establish relationships with experts on public benefit that will enable ongoing information exchange. Development of Standards and Expertise: Responsible Ethics Practice in Biomedical
Research and Health Care Summary: Exchange of experiences and expertise in ethical practices in the health care sector, specifically to promote the implementation of European principles and standards in Ukraine by offering an opportunity for professionals and practitioners in Ukraine to engage internationally with a community of experts and to promote the introduction of legal protections and ethical standards in biomedical research and health care provision in Ukraine. Education for Regional and Rural Development: Hungary and Ukraine Summary: Exchange of experiences in rural and regional development, specifically to promote educational partnership between Hungary and Ukraine in terms of utilizing rural development experiences in Hungary during the EU accession processes and to initiate ongoing information and expertise exchange. Domestic Election Observation: Comparative Experiences in Central
Europe Summary: Exchange of experiences among election monitors and observers, specifically to build capacity for this work in Albania in accordance with OSCE/ODIHR standards, to familiarize civil society in Albania with standards of electoral processes and follow-up electoral reporting and monitoring and to promote the sustainability of coalition of domestic election observers in Albania in partnership with international organizations. Gender: Equal 2 Equal Summary: Exchange in a long-term schools development initiative, specifically to expand this initiative to include teachers and pupils in Armenia, to identify innovative methodologies of teaching gender equality in schools and to promote critical engagement by teachers and students against negative influences against gender equality. European Integration and Democratic Development Summary: Exchange to define how integration processes into Europe are designed and implemented, specifically to analyze how these processes impact processes of democratization and to promote cooperation among governmental structures, NGOs and mass media in bringing to the public’s attention the roles of European integration in democratization processes. Childhood without Violence Summary: Exchange of experiences among social care providers working with victims of violence during childhood, specifically to compare experiences in Poland and Ukraine in models of non-governmental Community Development Centers as a resource of expertise and engagement with families to prevent violence in the home and to promote public engagement and empowerment in seeking solutions to overcome conditions which may result in violence. Cooperation Strategies for Local Communities Summary: Exchanges among civil society actors and activists in neighboring communities of Poland and Ukraine, specifically to promote the creation of public strategies to engage non-governmental organizations in local decision-making, to provide an opportunity for activists in Ukraine to analyze good practice and mistakes made in local community development in Poland and to promote public-private partnership in local community development. Expanding Europe: Latvia-Moldova Cooperation for
European Integration Summary: Exchanges to identify best practices and mechanisms of public participation in Latvia which might be applicable in Moldova, to raise public awareness of civic participation and government accountability as one of the key aspects in the process of EU integration, to facilitate dialogue between state and non-state actors in Moldova based on experiences in Latvia and to promote good practices of public participation among state and non-state actors in Moldova. Analyzing and Debating the Future of EU Enlargement Summary: Exchanges to raise the profile of policy debate on implications and challenges of further EU enlargement in three new member states of the EU – Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia, specifically to stimulate public debate by raising the profile of these issues in major national media and by raising awareness among key policymakers in the new EU member states. Civil Society Organizations and Local Public Administrations: Hungary
and Bosnia and Herzegovina Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental organizations and civic activists in Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically to analyze the development of non-governmental/public administration cooperation and partnership as experienced in Hungary during the EU accession processes and to promote in Bosnia and Herzegovina public and non-governmental engagement in social development. Preventing Child Labor: Best Practices and Lessons Learned Summary: Exchange of information and best practices among professionals working to prevent/combat child labor and trafficking in children, specifically to share best practices of community awareness activities, identification of vulnerable children and integration into support programs, developing partnerships between NGOs and public institutions and engaging civil society in public dialogue about child labor. Analysis of the Efficiency of Expenditures to Combat an HIV/AIDS
Epidemic in Kazakhstan Summary: Exchanges to engage NGOs in transparent budget processes of international investments, to monitor previous and current installments paid to the government specifically by the Global Fund in its work with HIV/AIDS, to monitor informal/shadow flows of money budgeted for HIV/AIDS programs, to raise public awareness domestically and internationally about this analysis and to develop a set of practical recommendations to the government of Kazakhstan based on international experiences. Restorative Justice in Eastern Europe: Strategies for Partnership Summary: Exchanges to monitor experiences in implementation of restorative justice programs in Ukraine through non-governmental partnerships with organizations in Poland, Moldova and Russia and to identify international perspectives, best practices and recommendations for state authorities in Ukraine. Volunteering in Social Assistance Centers: Poland and Russia Summary: Exchange of experiences among volunteers in state social help centers in Lodz and Nizhny Novgorod, specifically to compare experiences in implementing programs for disadvantaged and marginalized sectors of society and to promote engagement of the legal communities in protecting the rights of disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Civic Activism and Awareness for Senior Pupils Summary: Exchange to promote civic awareness and activism among senior high school pupils, specifically to provide a communication platform for pupils and teachers from neighboring countries to debate stereotypes and (mis)perceptions of neighbors and to develop skills to engage in conflict mediation and mutual respect for difference. Development of European Studies in Ukraine: Problems and Perspectives Summary: Exchange designed to analyze two years’ experience of implementation of the Bologna Process in Ukraine, specifically to compare experiences in new EU member states, to exchange best practices and lessons learned among specialists in educational methodologies and innovative teaching and to promote Ukrainian engagement in EU educational programming. Public Engagement in Local Development Strategies Summary: Exchanges in a long-term initiative addressed to local development strategies for the Eastern regions of Ukraine, specifically to disseminate among local community leaders and entrepreneurs Polish practices of public engagement and influence in developing, implementing and monitoring local development strategies. Equal Chances without Borders: Opportunities for Disadvantaged
Pupils in Hungary, Poland and Romania Summary: Exchange for teachers in primary schools in Hungary, Poland and Romania, specifically to share teaching methodologies in engaging socially disadvantaged and handicapped pupils in an integrated approach to teaching and to explore the applicability of innovative approaches based on European standards in regional schools. Belarus and the EU before and after
Presidential Elections Summary: Exchanges to inspire debate about the future of EU-Belarus relations, specifically to transmit knowledge and experiences of opportunities and challenges afforded by European integration for the development of democratic institutions, rule of law and consolidation of the role of NGOs in Belarus and to stimulate European discussion on Belarus and its future status in EU policy. Raising Awareness in Kazakhstan of National Health Accounts Systems: Experiences
in Poland and Estonia Summary: Exchange among health care specialists and non-governmental organizations, specifically to provide an opportunity for knowledge transfer of experiences in Estonia and Poland in planning and implementing National Health Accounts and to empower stakeholders in Kazakhstan to analyze and plan NHA system implementation strategies in Kazakhstan based on best practices/lessons learned in Estonia and Poland. Ukraine and the Enlarged EU: Ukrainian-Russian-Polish
Relations in the Context of European Integration Summary: Exchanges to promote an open dialogue and discussion among experts and analysts in Poland, Ukraine and Russia, specifically to engage young researchers in long-term collaborative analysis of the influence of Russian-Ukrainian relations on Poland and the EU and Ukraine-EU relations as well as opportunities and risks of the new neighborhood and strategies and concrete solutions in building the new relationships in the context of European integration. Young Lawyers for Change Summary: Exchange designed to promote the development of regional strategies addressed to improving women’s rights protection especially in the areas of violence against women and employment discrimination and to empower a network of trained lawyers developing and undertaking common projects aiming at improving of women’s rights situation in the region. National Credit Systems in Higher Education: Experiences and Challenges Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to provide an opportunity to compare experiences in higher education reform, specifically in introducing credit systems into higher education, to identify best practices and challenges faced by institutions undergoing transition and reform. Butterfly Children: Grassroots Organization for the Treatment
of Children with Rare Disease Summary: Exchange for parents and families of children with a rare disease, specifically to share experiences in raising public and official awareness, designing educational programs and disseminating information and to share models of organizing support networks for these children, their families and care-givers. Inter-Ethnic Dialogue: Engaging Non-Governmental Organizations Summary: Exchange among NGOs in Kosovo and Slovakia, specifically to offer the non-governmental community in Kosovo an opportunity to overcome critical problems of communication among all stakeholders addressing the needs of the majority and minority communities in Kosovo and to address practical requirements of reconciliation and cooperation for local community sustainability and development by analyzing experiences of NGOs in Slovakia during the velvet revolution, peaceful split of the former Czechoslovakia, pre-election activities, building civil society and democratization processes leading to EU membership. European Social Standards for Rural Communities Organizer: Regional Development Agency Trans-Trakt, Zhovkva, Lviv region in partnership with the Association of Regional Development Agencies of Ukraine Kyiv, Rzeszow Regional Development Agency, www.cwt.rarr.rzeszow.pl, www.rarr.rzeszow.pl, Regional Institute for Sustainable Rural Development Tarnobrzeg, Eco Counseling Center Cahul Moldova and Regional Ecologic Survey Center Romania Summary: Exchange of experiences among rural and regional development agencies in Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova, specifically to improve effectiveness of social investment in rural regions, to promote public/private partnership in rural community development and to compare models of development centers for rural communities. Learning to Define Public Housing Policies Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative, specifically to bring together representatives of non-governmental organizations, academia and municipal authorities in the western Balkans, to evaluate progress in improving living conditions in illegal settlements and improved access of marginalized and vulnerable groups to affordable housing, to compare experiences in providing the legal, financial and institutional framework for social housing and low-cost housing and to promote public/private partnership in urban governance. Regional Responses to Visa Liberalization in the Western Balkans Summary: Exchanges to develop recommendations to the governments in the region for the necessary reforms addressing the free movement of people, to formulate recommendations for authorities to conduct reforms, legal harmonization and efficient implementation, to create a network of experts and stakeholders dedicated to this task at national and regional levels, to create conditions for an active collaboration between the government and civil society, to promote active citizenship and civic education to monitor government performance and, to ensure greater transparency of government institutions. EU Standards in Social, Youth and Public Policies: Experiences
in Poland and Lithuania Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local authorities and non-governmental leaders in Ukraine on issues of European integration, including EU legislation, institutions, policies and procedures, specifically in implementing EU standards in everyday practice in consideration of experiences in Poland and Lithuania and to adapt on-going training methodologies as implemented in Poland and Lithuania. Oversight of Food Safety and Consumer Protection: Experiences
in Hungary and Bulgaria Summary: Exchange of experiences among civil society activists concerned with food safety and consumer protection, specifically to transfer knowledge and experiences gained in Hungary to empower consumer protection organizations in Bulgaria and to analyze implementation of European standards in food safety for adaptation in Bulgaria. Psychological Rehabilitation: Experiences in Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan Summary: Exchange for professional care-givers and volunteers specifically to promote the creation of stable mechanisms for improving efficiency and effectiveness of psychological aid and support in Kyrgyzstan by analyzing models of psychological development and rehabilitation in Bulgaria and to attract all relevant stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan to engage in adopting new methodologies of psychological care. Effective Community Development: Poland and Belarus Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations in Poland and Belarus, specifically to promote knowledge transfer and experiences in Poland of civil society participation in local community development and engaging all relevant stakeholders in ensuring sustainability of local communities. Turkey and the EU: Fostering Debate
in Estonia Summary: Exchanges to raise the level of debate in Estonia of Turkish accession to the EU, specifically to bring information and analysis to a greater public audience in Estonia and to engage young people in Estonia and Turkey to share experiences of Estonia’s accession processes and membership in the EU and of Turkey’s accession debate. Capacity Building for
LGBT Activists Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental organizations and activists to provide an opportunity for activists in Kazakhstan to experience the quality of work of like-minded organizations and activists in Central Europe, to generate new ideas for organizing resource and consulting centers and centers for psychological and legal assistance in Kazakhstan and to initiate public discussions in Kazakhstan about fighting discrimination and legal protection against discrimination. Citizen Participation in Decision-Making in Public Health Summary: Exchanges among health care professionals and non-governmental organizations, specifically to promote citizen engagement in decision-making of local and regional health authorities by involving citizens into activities of new mechanisms for public control, to promote consolidated decision-making by all stakeholders, including local government authorities, citizens, NGOs, patients and health professionals and to develop effective methodologies for adapting best practices/lessons learned in Bulgaria to conditions in Ukraine. OPEN DOOR / Art for Social Change Summary: Exchanges to create a platform through which young people in marginalized and/or disadvantaged communities may develop new and collaborative approaches for social inclusion and non-formal education, specifically to offer young people new skills for empowerment within the community and to overcome stereotypes of marginalized and vulnerable communities. European Neighborhood Policy and Azerbaijan: EU Experiences of
the Czech Republic Summary: Exchanges to promote public awareness and engagement in European integration processes in Azerbaijan, specifically to analyze the European Union as a global actor and challenges facing the EU in international relations and perspectives of future enlargement, issues related to ENP and EU role in democratization and the role of civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the ENP in Azerbaijan. Health Sector Reform: Latvia and Georgia Summary: Exchanges for non-governmental organizations in Latvia and Georgia, specifically to analyze the key roles played by non-governmental organizations in Latvia in raising public awareness of health care reform and civic participation in the development of legislation for health care reform and to formulate approaches for cooperation and constructive dialogue in Georgia among stakeholders, including state agencies, NGOs, municipalities and ministries, based on experiences in Latvia. Development and Sustainability of Women’s and Youth Information
Centers Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations in small towns, to support the development of a Women’s Information Center in Zhitomir based on experiences in Poland and to encourage collaborative initiatives to promote professional activity and engagement of women in local community development. Respect for Difference / National and Cultural Minorities Summary: Exchanges for representatives of national and cultural minorities and decision-makers, specifically to reveal European, Polish and Kashubian experiences in promoting ethnic harmony and social integration built in the processes of changes in the political system in Poland and European accession and to analyze standards of European law concerning national and ethnic minorities, development and protection of cultural heritage and institutional solutions/models. Engaging Young People: Let’s Preserve Sary-Chelek Natural
Reserve! Summary: Exchanges designed to mobilize youth and young people to be active in their communities, specifically by engaging them in improving the ecological environment of a natural reserve and to promote community engagement among young people by introducing methodologies of volunteerism in other societies. Networks to Enhance Scholarly Research Literacy Summary: Exchange to build a communication network among students, professors, mentors, peer-reviewers and editors of scholarly journals, specifically to overcome past legacies and mentalities which did not prioritize international collaboration and cooperation in scholarly pursuits and to offer innovative approaches/best practices to overcome unfavorable conditions and brain drain in higher education in formerly socialist countries. Building Partnerships at the Local Level in Serbia: Experiences
in the Czech Republic Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative, specifically to engage municipal authorities in Serbia in an exchange with municipal authorities in the Czech Republic to demonstrate new approaches utilized in the Czech Republic of engaging local authorities in partnerships with non-governmental organizations in addressing social concerns of towns and to analyze productive experiences of involving the public in solving problems of local development and sustainability as a basis to adapt practical recommendations for implementation in Serbia. Trust-Building Initiative for the European Union Summary: Exchange of experiences among European integration activists, experts and authorities in Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, specifically to establish an idea exchange network of best practices/lessons learned in engaging non-governmental organizations in European integration issues and civil society participation in public debates concerning European integration. Fostering Partnerships / Challenges
in the Development of the Third Sector in Russia and in Poland Summary: Exchange for representatives of civil society in Poland and Russia, specifically to exchange ideas and experiences in atomization of local communities, community development and assistance to migrants and refugees, and to promote better conditions for the development of bilateral initiatives between Poland and Russia and positively influence relations between Poland and Russia. New Methodologies
of Non-Formal Adult Education Summary: Exchange for professionals and teachers of adult education, specifically to share innovations in methodologies and skills of adult education in harmonization with European standards and to promote professionalization of adult educators in the Caucasus region as based on experiences and expertise in the Baltic countries. Public Achievement: Globally Aware/Socially Responsible Citizens Summary: Exchange for young people to encourage engagement to make positive changes in their immediate environment, to promote positive engagement and awareness among youth by providing alternatives for constructive rather than destructive behaviors and to overcome stereotypes of apathy among young people. Best Practices and Development Models for Alternatives in Agriculture Summary: Exchange for farmers, specialists, NGOs and local authorities, specifically to share experiences in methodologies and implementation of alternative production models in agriculture and to analyze best practices as implemented in Romania with possible adaptation in Armenia, to establish survey models and techniques for the maintenance of eco-systems and to promote the biodiversity of organic farms, agricultural regions and natural resources. From Education to Integration: Overcoming Social Exclusion in
Poland and Ukraine Summary: Exchanges to promote non-governmental engagement in long-term solutions to prevent social marginalization of people in danger of social exclusion, including drug and alcohol addicts, the elderly, single mothers, victims of domestic abuse and long-term unemployed, specifically to encourage information sharing, skills transfer and best practice exchange among informal and formal organizations and volunteers. School of Changes for
the Better! Summary: Exchanges to promote activities in local communities in Belarus, specifically to promote the transformation of village schools into local community centers of social development and civic engagement. The Flying School / Poland and Belarus Summary: Exchange for teachers, parents and pupils designed to share methodologies of informal education based on experiences in Poland and partnerships between secondary school students in Poland and Belarus to share information and engage young people in independent intellectual development. Equal Treatment of Members of Vulnerable Groups: Penal Offence
Sentencing Summary: Exchanges for civil society activists in Romania and Bulgaria, specifically to add an international component to this long-term national work by identifying best practices and alternative experiences, to engage a consultative group of experts who provide expertise to civil society organizations engaged in this work, to facilitate access of network members in Bulgaria and Romania to experiences of members of the wider network at an international level and to facilitate capacity building for civil society organizations in Romania and Bulgaria and knowledge transfer from more experienced NGOs. Development and Implementation of Environmental Education Methodologies:
Civic Activism Summary: Exchanges and study visits for civil society and environmental activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary, specifically to elaborate new education modules for adaptation in Bosnia and Herzegovina based on experiences in Hungary, to encourage interactive learning methodologies among teachers, pupils, parents and school authorities as an approach to engaging all stakeholders in public participation and civic initiative. Sharing Experiences of NGOs and Journalists: Stakeholders in EU
Accession Processes Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental and media representatives in the Czech Republic and Macedonia, specifically to transfer know-how and knowledge generated during the accession process of Czech Republic, to contribute to an understanding of policy making processes on the national level and decision making and coalition building processes in the EU and the roles of different policy agents in both the EU and candidate countries, to empower NGOs to participate actively in policy making processes in the framework of EU accession and to raise the awareness of journalists about EU issues and about the necessity to inform objectively about EU accession processes. Common Interests, Common
Problems: Economic, Social and Political Questions of Agriculture Summary: Exchange for managers of agricultural production and farmers to share experiences of the changes which affected agriculture in Hungary after joining the European Union and to assess advantages, disadvantages and opportunities of increased European integration on the agricultural sector. Black Sea Region in the New Enlarged Europe Summary: Exchange for young leaders from the NGO sector, civic activists and students, specifically to create a framework for sharing opinions, information and experiences regarding interaction between the Black Sea Region and the European Union, to engage young leaders in the Black Sea Region with young leaders in the European Union in international debates and public awareness building about European integration and to overcome existing stereotypes and fears still present among neighboring countries. Municipal Administrative Structures: Partnership and Collaboration Organizers: Association of Development of Small Towns of Tajikistan Vatanam, Dushanbe, www.vatanam.freenet.tj, Public Fund of Support of Programs of Development, Bishkek and Association of Cities of Kirghiz Republic, Bishkek, www.citykr.kg Summary: Exchange for representatives of municipal government and non-governmental organizations in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, specifically to compare experiences in democratic norms, procedures and standards in the implementation of municipal services and to explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration in developing joint initiatives for local community development. Deportation, Rehabilitation and Repatriation of Meskheti Turks
and Crimean Tatars: Similarities and Differences Summary: Exchange of knowledge and experiences among non-governmental organizations representing and working with displaced people, specifically to compare self-organization experiences in the communities of Meskheti Turks and Crimean Tatars in the context of negotiated return. Policy Reform in Local Development: Local Development Agents Summary: Exchange for representatives of non-governmental organizations, local, regional and national institutions and the business community, to share best practices and lessons learned in local development, to promote regional cooperation based on the Local Development Agent model and to raise awareness and disseminate information to promote transparency and efficiency of local public administration. Monitoring Public Procurement in Central Asia: Lessons Learned
in Central Europe Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations in Central Asia engaged in monitoring public procurement and expenditures, specifically to learn best practices and lessons learned of non-governmental organizations in the Czech Republic in assessing transparency and accountability in public procurement systems and to formulate recommendations to improve effectiveness and efficiency of public expenditure. I Vote For: Experiences and Lessons of Civic Engagement in Overcoming
Corruption Summary: Exchange among non-governmental organizations working to engage civil society in post-socialist countries in public monitoring of governmental accountability, specifically to draw on experiences in Estonia on public engagement and cooperation with media and to analyze how civic organizations may monitor new power formation in conditions of proportional representation electoral systems. Cross-Border Learning to Strengthen Local Partnerships
/ Overcoming Poverty and Exclusion Summary: Exchanges to promote participatory local development planning and action in municipalities with marginalized Roma communities, to widen access to policies and practices among vulnerable municipalities and regions through cross-country exchange and collaboration and to promote adoption of effective working models and practices to combat social exclusion by articulating barriers, approaches/methods to overcome them, publishing and disseminating case studies and handbooks. Have a Nice Trip: Information Campaign for Migrant Workers Summary: Exchanges and information campaigns to provide migrant women from Ukraine with reliable information regarding working and living conditions in Poland and to raise awareness of issues of safe migration, including job migration, and legal protection of migrants, in efforts to combat trafficking. School of Hope:
Overcoming Isolation of People with Physical Disability Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental organizations working with and representing people with physical disability in Poland and Belarus, specifically to share experiences and best practices in promoting social integration of people with disability and to initiate public discussions in Belarus to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with physical disability. Local Cooperation and Community Development: Rural Tourism Summary: Exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer specifically of best practices/lessons learned in Poland of developing rural tourism as a tool for local community sustainability and to promote the viability of rural tourism models as an approach to economic development of local communities in Ukraine and Georgia. Therapeutic Community Rehabilitation for Drug Addicts Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations working with young drug addicts, specifically to introduce to Ukraine innovative methodologies of therapeutic community rehabilitation implemented in Poland and to strengthen professional qualifications of non-governmental organizations working with young drug addicts in Ukraine. From Different to Equal: Mainstreaming Gender Studies Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations and academicians involved in transitional reform of education and legislation through implementation of National Action Plans for gender equality, specifically to formulate collaborative strategic goals and draft action plans for the engagement of Centers for Gender Studies in transitional societies and educational/legislation reform and to create a communication platform and ICT forum to facilitate collaboration among gender centers, non-governmental organizations and universities. Civil Participation in the Implementation of EU Nature Conservation
Directives Summary: Exchange for representative of non-governmental organizations engaged in nature conservation, to strengthen public participation of the civic sector by providing this opportunity to interact with intergovernmental sector responsible for environmental protection and conservation and to promote collaborative strategies among non-governmental organizations in monitoring conservation policies. Local Government in Crimean Regions: Experiences of Poznan and
Mlawa Powiat Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local authorities in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to analyze modern principles of management and small city and village development and to promote best practices and lessons learned of partnerships among local authorities, the business community and the non-governmental sector based on experiences in Poland. Choose Your Future / Civic Engagement for Roma and non-Roma Youth Summary: Exchange for young people to participate in an innovative methodology of intercultural engagement, specifically to provide an opportunity for young people to establish initiatives to promote participatory involvement in social processes in local communities and to promote integration of these models of intercultural communication and engagement into regular programs and support of local communities. Practical Assistance to Municipalities: Experiences of Turkey
and Azerbaijan Summary: Exchanges for representatives of municipalities, specifically to contribute to improving the functioning of the municipal system in Azerbaijan through sharing experiences with municipal managers in Turkey, to enhance skills of income generation and distribution of municipal managers and to analyze models of cooperation between municipalities and the public. Education Instead of Punishment / Juvenile Justice Reform Summary: Exchange for non-governmental activists and lawyers in Poland and Russia, specifically to analyze European standards of legal reform and social and legal child protection and to share experiences in Poland in reforming juvenile justices systems and introducing educational approaches to rehabilitation programs and special courts for juveniles. Principles of Good Governance Summary: Exchange for civil society organizations, city planners, municipal officers and local authorities to share opinions, experiences and ideas about cooperation on local development issues to maximize benefit for society, especially in consideration of vulnerable sectors of society, and to promote civil society engagement in local decision-making. Engaging Youth Leaders as Active Citizens in the Black Sea Region Summary: Exchange to provide an opportunity for youth leaders in Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Moldova to engage as an international network in environmental conservation and protection of the Black Sea coastal regions, specifically to promote a civil sector voice in the implementation of regional agreements and projects including the Danube/Black Sea Strategic Partnership, the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project and EU policies relevant to this area and to share experiences and best practices of public participation in decision-making on environmental concerns. The Women’s Movement Today: Ideologies, Practices and Prospects Summary: Exchange for women’s activists in the post-Soviet space, specifically to review, assess and develop new strategies for women’s rights advocacy, to promote women’s perspectives and participation in strategic decision-making processes and to advance the implementation of standards of gender equality. Local Economic Development in Kosovo: Experiences in Slovenia Summary: Exchange for municipal administrators in Kosovo to see first-hand a vibrant development environment in Slovenia and to analyze the role of Slovenian municipalities in local development, options and roles of vocational training in economic transition periods and real estate development as models for possible adaptation in Kosovo. Consequences of Long-Term Imprisonment: Re-integration into Society Summary: Exchange for NGO and penitentiary representatives as well as psychologists and social workers in prisons, to contribute to effective solutions of re-integrating former prisoners into society and to open communication and dialogue among experts and stakeholders specifically to promote engagement of civic associations in formulating approaches to re-integration into society of people who served long-term prison sentences. Capacity Building for
Working with Socially Excluded Young People Summary: Exchange for social workers to promote capacity building in working with young people, particularly to explore and analyze non-formal education methodologies for engaging young people on the margins of society and to share best practices and lessons learned in non-formal education in the context of enhancing youth work comprehensively. The Future of Blogging in Kazakhstan and Central Asia Summary: Exchange to introduce the idea of blogging as a form of participatory media and civic journalism among the population of Kazakhstan and in Central Asia and to build a strong blogging community with a developed sense of social responsibility and codes and rules of conduct. Ukraine, Poland and Germany in Europe:
Ukraine and the EU Summary: Exchange for policy-makers, historians, students of history and international relations and local public leaders, to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the relationships among Ukraine, Poland and Germany in the context of European integration and specifically to analyze new trends in foreign policy in Ukraine and the impact of Ukraine/EU relations. Social Partnerships: Transfer of Practical Knowledge and Expertise Summary: Exchanges to promote partnerships between the non-governmental sector and local authorities at the regional level to solve community problems similar in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, to transform public opinion and current social practices by introducing new and more effective methods for community problem solving in small communities and to contribute to the accumulation of experience and expertise by creating and developing social partnerships and identifying alternative solutions to existing problems. International Exchanges Financed by European Funds and EU Financial
Resources: NGO Advisors Summary: Exchanges within a long-term initiative for civil society actors in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to transfer knowledge and best practices to non-governmental organizations in the Chernigov region of Ukraine based on experiences in Poland in engaging in EU financed international exchanges and to promote international partnerships to regional NGOs in Ukraine. Euro-Integration: Media in Estonia and Georgia Summary: Exchanges for journalists in Estonia and Georgia to analyze practical implementation of European Neighborhood policies and programs in the context of Estonian-Georgian relations, to promote regular information exchange between Estonia and Georgia, to share experiences in European integration initiatives specifically in press freedoms and media self-regulation. Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation in the Lower Danube Euroregion Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local and regional public administrations and NGOs in Moldova, Romania and Ukraine, to propose solutions to common cross-border issues of the Lower Danube Euroregion, to identify successful practices in regional governance ad to facilitate a more dynamic cooperation of Euroregion specialty commissions by evaluating activities performed within the Euroregion in the 2006 and elaborating a draft plan for 2007. Transnistria and Regional Security: Challenges and Opportunities Summary: Exchanges for young people to engage with non-governmental organizations and decision-makers in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, to facilitate sharing of practical experiences and debate on regional security issues specifically Transnistria, to provide young people with information about successful practices in regional security and to encourage social activism of young people. European Standards of Housing Summary: Exchanges for civic activists and associations, specifically to share experiences on solving problems concerning maintenance and exploitation of housing resources, to analyze relevance of best practices and models of community associations in Poland and to promote collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders of housing resources in Kaliningrad based on experiences in Poland. Practical Implementation of Public Sector Initiatives: Local Governments
and NGOs Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local government and non-governmental organizations in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to share experiences and best practices of public participation in local decision-making and ensuring access to information according to European standards and based on Poland’s membership in the EU. Enhancing Police Intervention in Domestic Violence Cases Summary: Exchange for police management and instructors, specifically to develop effective educational mechanisms to be used in training police officers in domestic violence cases, to identify weak points in policing domestic violence cases and to formulate solutions to overcome identified weaknesses and to share experiences and best practices with the aim of formulating strategies for training police officers in issues of domestic violence and policing domestic violence cases. Partnership for Information and Education: Protection of Consumers’ Rights Summary: Exchange to develop an international distance learning module for consumers’ education that will provide citizens with easily accessible information to learn and defend their rights, to analyze and disseminate best e-learning practices and to build a platform for sharing national and international initiatives in the protection of consumers’ rights. Young People: Meeting the Challenges of Diversity Summary: Exchange in long-term initiative for secondary school pupils, teachers and parents, to share effective approaches and methods of teaching tolerance, to promote forms of dialogue among young people specifically addressed to responsibility, respect and dignity in multi-cultural societies and to exchange experiences and practices of European Clubs at the secondary school level. Innovative Educational and Holistic Methodologies for Social
Integration of Children with Disability Summary: Exchanges and study visits for educators and caregivers specifically working with children with disability, to provide an opportunity for practical skills transfer of innovative educational and holistic methodologies of social integration and to bring together professionals working and teaching at universities and people working directly with disabled children to enhance a multi-disciplinary approach to disability. Children’s Ombudsman: Lessons Learned and Prospects for
Ukraine Summary: Exchange to bring representatives of non-governmental organizations in countries which have established a child ombudsperson to engage with colleagues in Ukraine, specifically to analyze positive and negative experiences in implementation of the work of the child ombudspersons in these countries and to enable non-governmental organizations in Ukraine to engage in the discussion of the draft law for the institution of child ombudsperson in Ukraine by learning experiences in other societies. Wake Up! / Engaging Young People in Community Development Summary: Exchanges for young people in Kazakhstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically to provide an opportunity for young people engaged with pilot Young Centers in Kazakhstan to learn experiences of Youth Centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to analyze best practices and lessons learned in youth entrepreneurship and social partnership as promoted by Youth Centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Criminology and Power: Partnership for Crime Prevention Summary: Exchange for criminologists, state representatives, lawyers and practitioners of law enforcement in post-communist societies, to analyze problems concerning interactions between criminology and state power, to exchange knowledge, experience and innovative methods for ensuring effective dialogue and collaboration among relevant stakeholders in crime prevention and to promote ongoing collaboration among criminologists in post-communist societies to engage in public policy making. Good Practices and Experiences of Food Banks Summary: Exchange for representatives of non-governmental organizations providing charity and support in food products to develop recommendations to increase effectiveness, transparency and impact, to analyze best practices and experience of cooperation among governmental and municipal institutions and NGOs in fighting poverty and to contribute to the development of a legislative basis to regulate charity in food products. Central European Initiative Journalists’ Forum 2006: Role
of Media in Preparation for EU Accession Summary: Exchange for journalists to analyze the role of the media in preparation for EU accession and following accession, specifically to analyze media and public perceptions of EU accession, media ownership and media transparency, improving media legislation to EU standards, public broadcasting in the EU and in the new member states, free movement of journalists, and globalization, digitalization and media development. Minority Youth in Civil Society Summary: Exchange for young people within a long-term initiative, specifically to engage young people from minority communities in civil society by empowering them to contribute to integration processes and local community development, to raise awareness about human rights by providing knowledge and experiences in other societies in combating exclusion and to share non-formal educational methodologies in working with marginalized young people. Democracy
Monitoring and Advocacy Strategies Summary: Exchange for civil society activists engaged in monitoring democratic processes, specifically to analyze existing monitoring initiatives, policy development components and advocacy built on these initiatives; to assess effective methodologies in media, human rights, elections and freedom of information; to increase efficiency of democratic reform through the development of mechanisms and methods for monitoring in countries engaged in reform and assistance frameworks and to strengthen civic engagement in policy development and advocacy through use of monitoring of implementation of obligations within such frameworks. Development of Effective Open Source Policy Summary: Exchange for information policy-makers, representative of the IT industry and representatives of educational and non-for-profit organizations, to contribute to the development of effective open source policy to improve access to information for the public, to analyze models of implementation of e-government programs and their applicability in Armenia and to promote awareness of public authorities responsible for the development of information society policy in Armenia about the development and implementation of open source policies in Central and Eastern Europe. Capacity Building
for HIV/AIDS Prevention in Chechnya: Experiences in the Czech Republic Summary: Exchange for representatives of newly established non-governmental organizations and the professional community in Chechnya, specifically to build capacity of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS prevention in Chechnya by learning experiences, best practices, lessons and innovations of NGOs in the Czech Republic. Civic Campaigns and Movements in Ukraine and Russia: Experience
and Prospects Summary: Exchange for youth activists in Ukraine and Russia, specifically to share experiences in civic activity based on non-violence and the observance of national legislation and to exchange ideas and knowledge on legal methodologies and best practices of working with the public and the authorities. Tools to Engage Citizens in Multi-Ethic Communities and Improve
Inter-Ethnic Relations Summary: Exchange for activists in the former Yugoslavia, specifically to promote communication and cooperation among citizens who belong to different ethnic or religious groups, to share best practices and methodologies of engaging citizens in multi-ethic communities and to promote ongoing collaborative initiatives among multi-ethnic communities. Social Services for Persons with Disabilities: Experiences in
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovakia Summary: Exchange for social workers and persons with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovakia, specifically to provide an opportunity for social workers and persons with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to experience firsthand the organization of social services for persons with disability in Slovakia and to consider adopting methodologies and expertise in Slovakia to promote the development of social services provision in Bosnia and Herzegovina to European standards. Public Participation-based Strategies for Socio-Economic Development:
Poland and Georgia Summary: Exchange for local and regional authorities and non-governmental organizations in Georgia who are members of a working group established to implement local government reform in Georgia, specifically to familiarize this group with experiences and good practices in building local development strategies in Poland. Effective Cooperation among Local Authorities: Pro-active Approach
in Solving Regional Problems Summary: Exchange designed to raise the administrative and professional capacity of local experts, non-governmental organizations and municipal authorities in South East Europe engaged in processes of European integration, specifically to create a forum for exchange of experiences, know-how and best practices in European standards of good local governance and to promote public awareness of citizen engagement and participation in local development. Equal Participation: Strategies to Engage Children with Special
Needs Summary: Exchange for specialists working with children with special needs, specifically to formulate strategies and policies for social integration of people with special needs in Azerbaijan and share information and best practices of cooperation between non-governmental organizations and state authorities based on experiences in the Czech Republic. Community and Social Services: Experiences in Lithuania and Czech RepublicOpen Society Fund–Lithuania and Open Society Fund–Prague (Czech Republic) Organizers: V ilnius Archdiocese Caritas Day Center Angel of Hope, www.caritas.lt, and SPONDEA o.p.s., Brno, www.spondea.cz Summary: Exchanges of civil society and volunteer organizations in Lithuania and the Czech Republic to compare experiences in reducing social exclusion of poor families and families at risk, to encourage and motivate parish communities for self-organization and developing community services to overcome social exclusion, to increase the effectiveness of social care organizations by improving management skills and volunteerism and to foster partnership with local municipalities and NGOs involved in working with children and families at social risk. Partnership in Developing Re-Socialization Networks for Marginalized
Youth Summary: Exchanges to promote cooperation and best practice exchange in Lithuania and Ukraine in developing partnerships between police and non-governmental organizations working with youth at risk, to analyze models of organizing targeted seminars for specialists responsible for informal education and juvenile delinquency prevention and to analyze existing models and effective approaches of strengthening the role of police in preventive work with marginalized youth groups. Working Together for a Child’s Safe World Summary: Exchange for experts, professionals and decision-makers engaged in child welfare issues, specifically to support the establishment in Georgia of child protection systems to overcome abuse and neglect based on experiences and best practices in Central Europe and to promote public engagement with public authorities in development and implementation of child protection systems. Labor Migration: A Solution or an Obstacle for Development? Summary: Exchange for analysts and practitioners, specifically to provide a framework for discussing the developmental impact of migration both in the new member states and in the context of the European Union’s new neighborhood policy, to improve the quality of analysis and dissemination of information to the public, to enhance policy relevance of domestic migration research at national and local levels and to build international linkages among scholars and practitioners working in migration issues. Forum on Implementation of Public Policy Standards and Principles Summary: Exchange for civil society activists and decision-makers, to analyze implementation of public policy standards among relevant stakeholders internationally to inform these processes in Kyrgyzstan, to promote public awareness and information dissemination about best practices in the implementation of public policy and to promote integration into civil society of institutionalized public policy engagement. Developing Innovative Gender Equality Strategies: Family-Friendly
Policies Summary: Exchange for civil society activists specifically to promote changes in the social/institutional systems which influence men’s participation in family-work life and gender equality promotion, to encourage employers to implement family-friendly work environment policies, to share know-how strategies of practical implementation of gender equality in the workplace and to raise public debates about needs, challenges and benefits of reconciling family and work duties based on international experiences. Creating Favorable Environments for Regional Development: Best
Practices of Business Incubators Summary: Exchange for stakeholders in regional development, specifically to share experience of business incubators and brainstorm about effective ways to enhance their capacities and input into local economic and social development, to raise public awareness about the role of business incubators in providing new opportunities for the development of small and medium sized businesses, especially in provinces and to analyze models to create effective partnership among businesses, municipalities and the public sector in sustainable regional development. Programs and Tools of the EU in Economic Innovation
and Development: Ukrainian Projections Summary: Exchange for civil society activists engaged in Euro-integration issues in Ukraine, to analyze economic development experiences of countries in the EU and create the recommendations for effective integration among representatives of industry, policy and the third sector for enhancement of innovative development processes in Ukraine, to formulate recommendations addressed to involving Ukraine into collaborative partnerships focused on economic competitiveness and innovative development as well as involving Ukraine in the realization of the Lisbon Strategy programs from the perspective of EU integration in Ukraine. Be Fine On-Line Summary: Exchange for young journalists from multi-religious communities to promote use of on-line technologies to advance models of inter-cultural communication, diversity and dialogue and to develop outreach programs to engage youth in inter-cultural communication and dialogue. Romania, Hungary and Czech Republic:
Cooperation on Asylum and Border Control Summary: Exchange for representatives of non-governmental organizations, national councils for refuges, border policy/asylum authorities and international organizations, to exchange opinions on the new Romanian asylum legal framework as harmonized with the EU Acquis, to exchange best practices on asylum from the perspectives of Romania’s joining the EU in 2007, to adapt governmental and non-governmental assistance programs to the developing/evolving necessities according to the EU asylum and migration policy and to identify challenges experienced in Hungary and Czech Republic after EU accession, particularly from the perspective of non-governmental organizations. Prevention of Violence: Problems of Investigation and Collaborative
Experiences Summary: Exchanges for civil activists in Estonia and Georgia to share experiences and best practices in combating violence against women, specifically to create action plans and strategies to overcome violence in Georgia based on experiences in Estonia, including the engagement of enforcement agencies in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, and to elaborate guidelines and rules according to international standards for responding to domestic violence. New EU Member States: Development Cooperation and Democracy
Promotion Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations working in the field of protection and promotion of human rights, specifically to increase awareness about and to stimulate debate on the role of governmental and civil society actors in Hungary in promoting democracy and human rights in the context of implementing EU development policy, to share experiences of other EU Member States in the Visegrad region with Hungarian counterparts by showcasing examples of promoting democracy in the context of development policy and to promote working partnerships among human rights NGOs in the Visegrad region, and to identify areas, activities and methods where Hungarian human rights NGOs may contribute to implementing objectives of development policies. Russia in the Period of “Late” Putin: Power,
Politics, Economics Summary: Exchange for analysts, opinion-makers and experts, to enable an open and public discussion of the complexities of Russian internal and foreign policy, including relations with the West and Russian energy policy, to encourage, stimulate and contribute to discussion in Poland about contemporary Russia, its place in the world, European-Russian and Polish-Russian relations and to discuss opportunities and risks for Russia in the nearest future as well as possible strategies and concrete solutions which may be helpful to Europe in engaging with Russia. Young People in Open Society Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations working with students in Azerbaijan to learn practical experiences of MJAFT and determine if these experiences may be applied to the creation of a Student Development Center in Azerbaijan and to promote active engagement and participation of young people in democratic processes in Azerbaijan based on experiences of MJAFT. Multidisciplinary Team Approaches to Working with HIV Patients Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations engaged in working with People Living with HIV and AIDS, in Kazakhstan and Poland, specifically to provide an opportunity to analyze advanced technologies on ARV treatments implemented in Poland, to contribute to professional development and knowledge of NGOs in Kazakhstan and to integrate AIDS-service non-governmental organizations in Kazakhstan into international PLWH networks. Equal Access to Health, Social and Educational Care for Disabled
Children: Ukraine, Moldova, Poland Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations working with disabled children in Ukraine, Moldova and Poland, specifically to present modern systems of providing equal opportunities for disabled people in society and models of integrated education, rehabilitation and care for disabled children and their families in Poland, to promote social engagement and integration of people with disabilities and to mobilize local communities to advocate for responsible social policies to protect the welfare of disabled people. Common Ways to Europe: Knowledge, Experience, Development Summary: Exchanges for non-governmental organizations in the Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, specifically to summarize and exchange experiences, to build multilateral and international civil connections particularly among NGOs engaged in development work, and to formulate recommendations to promote cooperation between non-governmental sectors and governmental bodies concerning employment and social policy. Building Strategies for Children’s Rights Summary: Exchange to bring together local and international human rights experts and practitioners, representatives of local and international political institutions and representatives of NGOs and human rights organizations, specifically to analyze the proposed draft National Strategy for Children’s Rights in Kosovo and share experiences, expertise and knowledge to contribute to this draft strategy by incorporating best practices and mechanisms as implemented in other societies to protect the rights of children and to contribute to the achievement of internationally recognized standards of respecting human rights in Kosovo. Advocacy for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Summary: Exchange for civil society activists, policy-makers and decision-makers from countries in which there are relevant legislation, services, infra-structure and good practices as well as countries in which domestic violence issues are becoming more visible and which are taking steps to formulate relevant legislation, specifically to facilitate a public discussion of domestic violence protection and to share experiences in the development of a law to protect victims of domestic violence in Armenia. Learning and Living Together / Investment for the Future Summary: Exchange for teachers and professionals in educational methodologies, to share experiences, expertise and models of implementation of citizenship education in secondary schools, to share innovative approaches to incorporating civic education into secondary school curricula and to initiate international projects among teachers specializing in civic education. Facilitating Western Balkans Civil Society Networking with EU
NGOs and Platforms Summary: Exchange for civil society organizations in the Western Balkans, specifically to provide an opportunity for CSOs in southeast Europe to meet counterparts from the EU and familiarize themselves with their work, best practices, lobbying practices and mechanisms, and to establish working relations and cooperation as well as to provide an opportunity for EU CSOs/networks to gain detailed insight into the situation with CSOs in southeast Europe and their role in the development of these societies. Capacity-Building for Young Journalists in Kazakhstan Summary: Exchanges for young journalists in Kazakhstan, specifically to be mentored by experienced journalists of the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations in Moscow, and as such, to have a firsthand opportunity to learn the fundamentals and standards of working in public journalism. Social Integration of People with Autism Summary: Exchanges for social workers and volunteers designed to facilitate the introduction in Ukraine of a comprehensive approach to social integration of people with autism based on international experiences and expertise, to exchange best practices and models of social integration of people with disability by engaging public and private organizations and to formulate recommendations for state educational management bodies in Ukraine. Media Freedom in the Creation of a Civic Society: Kazakhstan,
Ukraine and Poland Summary: Exchange for young journalists in Kazakhstan to regional media in Poland, specifically to encourage the transfer of knowledge, skills and experience to young journalists in Kazakhstan to upgrade the level of understanding of journalistic responsibilities in times of transition and journalistic institution-building and to support an emerging new generation of journalists in Kazakhstan to bring a sense of change, inspire renewal and create incentives for the journalists in Kazakhstan to take responsibility for media freedoms and democratic progress in Kazakhstan based on experiences over the past years in Poland. Pre-Electoral Promises and Governing in Bosnia and Herzegovina Summary: Exchanges designed to engage citizens in informed civic participation, specifically by conducting analysis and systematizing information on elected officials’ performance compared to promises made during election campaigns and to provide objective information to citizens to attempt to overcome mentalities of nationalism and xenophobia. Strengthening NGO Capacity in Transnistria: Sharing Czech Experiences
in Building Democratic Society Summary: Exchanges to promote efficient and effective communication among civil society representatives and to engage non-governmental organizations in Transnistria in international dialogue and partnership, to promote collaborative initiatives drawing on experiences of non-governmental organizations in the Czech Republic and to encourage social and community activism among the non-governmental community in Moldova by offering partnerships with civil society organizations in Ukraine and the Czech Republic. Women Leaders for Community Development: Overcoming Unemployment
and Social Exclusion Summary: Exchanges for local community leaders in rural areas in Kosovo, Georgia and Tajikistan, specifically to develop effective leadership modules to encourage women’s engagement in social entrepreneurship as based on experiences in Poland and to share practical knowledge about organizing local development initiatives to overcome poverty, marginalization and social exclusion in local communities. Civil Society Cooperation to Overcome Exclusion and Alienation Summary: Exchanges to promote constructive partnership among civil society activists in Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine through open-minded dialogue and objective expertise of interstate relations, specifically to combat mutually negative stereotypes, to analyze best practices to engage non-governmental organizations in intercultural dialogue and to address policy recommendations to national decision-making authorities. Engaging Civil Society Organizations for Participatory Democracy Summary: Exchanges for civil society actors in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, specifically to build commitment and capacity of NGOs and other civil society actors to strengthen civic support and participation in decision-making processes at the local level in Chisinau, Odessa and Reni based on experiences in Romania and to promote NGOs to mobilize individuals, expert groups and ideas within their constituencies to develop stakeholder-inclusive advocacy strategies for enhanced civic participation. European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Summary: Exchanges for analysts and opinion-makers in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, specifically to formulate recommendations about reforms to be undertaken in Ukraine and Moldova in the context of the EU-Ukraine Action Plan and EU-Moldova Action Plan and to identify commonalities with reforms undertaken in Romania which then may be shared in Moldova and Ukraine as well as with relevant EU bodies. Partnership for Diversity and Dialogue Summary: Exchanges to empower minority organizations to overcome discrimination through public awareness activities and international cooperation strategies, to promote cooperation among public authorities and civil society engaged in promoting equality for minorities in all public policies and to promote inclusion of Roma activists and leaders into European integration initiatives. Good Practices in Community Development for Active Rural Communities Summary: Exchanges for civil society actors working in local development in rural areas in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, to identify and share productive models for local rural development, to promote collaboration between NGOs and public authorities and to disseminate best practices of viable community development models. Migration and Identity in a Changing Europe: Building Partnerships
and Fostering Communication Summary: Exchange for experts, decision-makers, non-governmental organizations and analysts in Central Europe, specificallyto facilitate a platform for sharing ideas, experiences and information on migration issues in Central Europe, to bridge the gap between EU member states, EU accession states and future EU neighbors by collaboratively formulating solutions to migration problems and to promote collaboration among non-governmental organizations and state authorities in working to address challenges of migration. Citizen Engagement and Public Participation: Transparency in
Legislative Processes Summary: Exchange among non-governmental organizations and decision-makers, specifically to raise awareness about the importance and benefit of public consultation among policy makers and the general public in Mongolia, to learn advanced policies and mechanisms of public consultation utilized productively in Central Europe, to identify an appropriate model of policy consultation to engage the public in decision-making and to improve transparency through public participation in Mongolia. Exchange of Experiences in Solving Youth Issues in Ukraine, Moldova
and Romania Summary: Exchange of best practices in the resolution of youth problems in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, specifically to analyze positive experiences of collaboration among government, businesses and NGOs in the resolution of socio-economic problems of territorial communities and to promote engagement of young people in socio-economic and legislative perspectives and awareness. Civil Society's Contribution to Ensuring Stable Economic Growth:
Experiences in Hungary and Moldova Summary: Exchange of experiences among non-governmental organizations and local authorities in Hungary and Moldova, specifically to establish a basis for cooperation and partnership between the NGO sector and the public administration acting in the Lower Danube Euro-region, to open new opportunities for collaboration between the public administration, non-governmental sector, entrepreneurs from the Lower Danube Euro-region and public administration and to enhance the potential of local NGOs in Moldova and particularly from Cahul County in developing new initiatives based on competitive best practices implemented in Hungary. Role of Local Governments and NGO Activists in Overcoming Social
Problems Summary: Exchanges for non-governmental activists, social workers and representatives of local governments, to share experiences in collaborative initiatives to engage local communities in overcoming social problems associated with victims of violence and families affected by alcohol and drug abuse, specifically to transfer knowledge and best practices accumulated in Poland to non-governmental organizations in Ukraine. Charitable Activity Strategies for NGOs: Experiences in Azerbaijan
and Romania Summary: Exchanges for NGOs from regions in Azerbaijan and Romania, specifically to promote the development of charitable activities in regions of Azerbaijan based on experiences in Romania and to empower regional NGOs in Azerbaijan in partnerships with international organizations. Start Negotiating/Developing Intercultural Dialogue: University
Students in Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia Summary: Exchanges to promote intercultural communication and active civic education through simulating intergovernmental problem-solving and decision-making processes for university students in the Serbia-Kosovo-Macedonia region, specifically to expose a core of students, and a small group of academics, to negotiation simulation as a mechanism for engaging in dialogue between the different peoples in southern Serbia, Kosovo and northern Macedonia, to consider creative problem solving and to gain understanding of the processes of intergovernmental communications. Entrepreneurship in Practice Summary: Exchanges among young people in Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and Russia, to formulate effective models of engaging young people in social development, specifically to mitigate effects of unemployment among young people by promoting entrepreneurship development and innovative educational methodologies for young people entering the labor market. Women's
Rights: Azerbaijan and Czech Republic Summary: Exchange of experiences among women’s rights activists in Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic, specifically to provide an opportunity for regional organizations in Azerbaijan to internationalize their work and be engaged on an international level and at European standards. Building Capacity of NGOs: Monitoring Gender Equality Standards Summary: Exchanges among women’s non-governmental organizations in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Poland, to build capacity of non-governmental organizations on gender equality standards in Europe, to promote civil society monitoring of the implementation of these standards and to strengthen cooperation among non-governmental organizations in developing collaborative advocacy strategies. Development and Sustainability of Media Monitoring NGOs: Kazakhstan
and Slovakia Summary: Exchanges among young non-governmental professionals working with regional media in Kazakhstan and Slovakia, specifically to analyze progressive experiences of watchdog NGOs in Slovakia in the areas of organizational and professional development and to learn experiences in Slovakia of how NGOs have been able to engage governmental agencies to improve conditions of information access and freedom of speech. Policies on Inclusive Education: International Experiences and
Ukrainian Realities Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators and civil activists working to ensure equal access to quality education for disabled children, specifically to formulate policy recommendations on inclusive education in Ukraine by utilizing international experiences and best practices and to engage public activism in policy debates in Ukraine. After Enlargement – Another
Frontier? Summary: Exchange for civil society activists to strengthen the non-profit sector in southeast Europe, through resource development and partnership capacity enhancement, to build capacity of civil society organizations by improving knowledge about European integration, successful NGO management on the European level and organizational development and to encourage partnerships among civil society organizations and activists in southeast Europe and the new member states. European Standards of Independent Regional Media: Ukraine, Hungary
and Romania Summary: Exchanges for regional press and publishers in Ukraine, Romania and Hungary, specifically to exchange experiences in the implementation of progressive European standards of independent regional media and to identify positive and negative experiences in Romania and Hungary to inform these processes in Ukraine. Economic Development Policies: Building Partnerships in the Czech
Republic and Moldova Summary: Exchange for analysts, civil society activists and opinion-makers in the Czech Republic and Moldova, specifically to assess the current state of economic relations between the Czech Republic and the Republic of Moldova, to analyze policies of economic development utilized in the Czech Republic for possible adaptation in Moldova and to identify opportunities for cooperation within the EU-Moldova Action Plan. Social Innovations in Palliative Care: Experiences in Moldova,
Romania, and Ukraine Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations, social workers, experts in palliative care and local authorities, to make a comprehensive analysis of the status of the palliative care system in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, and to develop the Draft Statute for Hospice Service and the Standards of Palliative Care, which will provide general definitions and regulations for palliative care in Ukraine and Moldova, based on experiences and expertise in Romania. Engaging Kaliningrad in Questions of European Integration and
Relations Summary: Exchanges for teachers in Kaliningrad and Gdansk, specifically to promote information and knowledge sharing about European integration through teachers to young people in Kaliningrad and to popularize concepts and implementation of friendly neighborhood policies along the EU borders. Promoting Social Engagement and Activism: Poland, Georgia and
Moldova Summary: Exchanges for representatives of NGOs in Poland, Moldova and Georgia, specifically to share experiences and best practices in promoting citizens’ participation in decision making especially in rural and marginalized communities and to analyze and compare experiences in introducing civic activities and collaboration of formal and informal civic organizations. Kosovo
School for European Integration Summary: Exchanges to contribute to the preparation of society in Kosovo to actively and knowledgeably participate in processes related to European integration, specifically to identify resources from Central and Eastern Europe to participate in exchanges to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities of European integration and promote civic involvement in the European integration movement, to promote an understanding of ideas and values of the European community as well as an awareness of the impact that European integration will have on Kosovo society and to provide experiences and knowledge to the citizens of Kosovo, targeting both established and emerging community leaders, including public officials and NGO leaders on standards for membership in the EU, institutions and structures and legislative and policy-making processes. Teaching Methodologies for Handicapped Children: Experiences in
Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Armenia Summary: Exchanges for social workers and caregivers in Armenia and Bulgaria to the Czech Republic, specifically experience first hand schools and institutions providing special education to handicapped children and working with children with autistic disorders and in rehabilitative classes and to analyze the educational system in the Czech Republic which provides support to developing new methods and searching for new ways to improve the lives of handicapped children. PartnersPeace Institute, Slovenia Summary: Exchange to support the development of a trans-national network of researchers and activists to conduct a comparative analysis and interdisciplinary approach understanding the realities of trafficking in human beings and prostitution, to contribute to a greater awareness of points of intersection between trafficking and prostitution as a highly gendered phenomenon and to stimulate comprehensive analytical efforts that take into consideration different frameworks, perceptions and interpretations of both prostitution and trafficking in women within local and regional contexts. New Political Movements and Practices Summary: Exchange among civil and social activists to provide a platform for comparative analysis and critical debate of innovative movements in social change internationally and to promote coalitions of social activists working to overcome exclusion and inequality. How Gender Meets Reality Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative designed to rethink usual approaches of implementing gender mainstreaming and to discuss the possibilities to address the policy makers in a new way in terms of the conceptual and practical level, to stimulate discussions about the relevance of the connection between the gender relations and the policy-making processes in different fields (from water supplies, sustainability to relations at work, family etc.) and to promote debates on gender equality by providing additional information on the validity of combining conceptual and practical levels. Between Past and Future: What Political Thinking Means Today Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative, Politics and Power in Times of Terror – Thinking with Hannah Arendt,” which is designed to question present perspectives of politics, specifically to offer an opportunity to re-think the relationship between violence, politics, identity and terror in the context of contemporary debates on political subjectivity and identity and in the context of the emerging globalized debate about war, politics and terror. Legislative Dimensions of Intellectual Property Summary: Exchange in an ongoing initiative, specifically to open these debates to the wider public and integrate the public into debates about legislative dimensions of intellectual property rights and to raise awareness of the public, policy makers and expert communities related to the problems of a new legislative and juridical system concerning intellectual property and possible consequences for citizens’ rights to have access to cultural and scholarly production and information. Alternative Media and New Public Settings Summary: Exchange in long-term initiative to bring together experts, NGO activists and media practitioners, to rethink and search for new approaches, new answers on how new media development has influenced the terrain for alternative media use in its relation to citizens’ empowerment and to analyze positions and perspectives of alternative media on the global level, alternative media and public space, the relation between alternative and mainstream media from the perspective of community media practices. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Moscow Center, Russia Summary: Exchange in an ongoing series of exchanges, specifically to support participation of non-governmental organizations in the first opportunity to discuss concrete restitution proposals with representatives of Ossetian refugees and their NGOs based in North Ossetia and to mobilize resources to raise the profile of the civil society contribution to conflict resolution among experts, policymakers and journalists locally, nationally and internationally. Think Tank Cooperation: Alternatives Solutions to Conflict in
Transnistria / Moscow Presentation Summary: Presentation in Moscow of the policy paper of the Institute for Public Policy Moldova, Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation Ukraine and the Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Romania, on the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict. Evaluating Democracy in the former Soviet Union Summary: Exchange among researchers of democratization to compare different approaches, concepts and methodologies of measuring democratic development and the state of political rights and civil liberties in countries of the former Soviet Union.
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